Typical fire alarm systems include a number of fire alarm system devices, which includes, but is not limited to fire detectors (including smoke detectors), pullstations, notification appliances, positioned throughout a building (and/or campus). Signals from those fire alarm system devices are monitored by a system controller, such as a fire alarm control panel (“FACP”). The FACP, upon sensing an alarm condition, sends commands to one or more notification appliances to alert occupants in one section of the building, in multiple sections of the building, or in all sections of the building. Notification appliances can output a visual notification, an audible notification, or both. Examples of notification appliances include, but are not limited to strobes, horns, speakers, and the like. Notification appliances are typically connected across common power lines on a notification appliance circuit (“NAC”).
The typical fire alarm system centers control at the FACP, with configuration, monitoring status, and control of the fire alarm system devices being performed at the FACP. This focus of control at the FACP has its advantages, particularly in a large fire alarm system. However, this focus also has its disadvantages. For example, in configuring the fire alarm system, the technician must return to the FACP to change or obtain information about the fire alarm system devices. In particular, the configuration of one or more of the fire alarm system devices in many fire alarm systems can only be performed at the FACP. For example, assigning addresses, custom labels, groupings of fire alarm devices, are performed at the FACP. The technician uses the user interface and special configuration software at a computer resident at the FACP to configure the one or more fire alarm system devices. This setup may make it difficult, particularly when the technician is at the fire alarm devices. However, performing the configuration of the fire alarm device may prove difficult. Thus, a need exists to better configure a fire alarm system